Live updates

Paul Watson, the Leader of Sunderland City Council, has defended the decision to part-privatise leisure facilities in the area.

The City Council is seeking a partner to establish a joint company to run sports and leisure facilities in the city. This will help us achieve the savings we need to make at the same time as protecting and keeping leisure services and getting more people involved in physical activity, sport and leisure.

This is not new, it’s been done in the past and has proven to be a successful formula. There are companies out there that have evolved from the public sector and have a public sector ethos which would be the type of company we would look to do business with.

Council-owned leisure facilities in Sunderland could soon be part-run by a private company.

This would include the Aquatic Centre and all other sport centres under plans revealed by the City Council. It would be a joint-venture between the Council and a successful bidder.

The Council Leader, Paul Watson, said: "The City Council is seeking a partner to establish a joint company to run sports and leisure facilities in the city. This will help us achieve the savings we need to make at the same time as protecting and keeping leisure services."